Fastener operating means



De@ 20, 1949 P. A. slPLE FASTENER OPEM'IING MEANS Original Filed June 27, 1945 INVEN TOR.

Patented Dec. 20, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FASTENER PERATING MEANS Paul A. Siple, Arlington, Va.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 4 Claims.

The invention described herein, if patented. may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to fasteners of the type having continuous, elongated, engaging elements, and more specifically to a fastener of the type described providing a water-tight connection between two portions of a structure of waterproof character.

One object of the invention is to provide means for separably securing together two portions of flexible fabric in a manner to provide a watertight connection therebetween.

A further object of the invention is to provide a. fastening device of the character described having an operating device which renders it capable of being easily and quickly connected and disconnected without danger of jamming or sticking.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fastening of the kind described having a minimum number of parts, and having an operating slider formed in one piece, thus greatly facilitating the manufacture of the fastening.

The invention is capable of very wide application in connection with structures having portions whose edges are to be separably secured together, and has particular utility as a fastening for articles made of flexible waterproof fabrics with edge portions between which it is desired to have water-tight, sealed, separable connections. By means of the invention such articles, for example, as garments, tents or similar objects can be provided with fastenings which are capable of being quickly closed and opened while at the same time assuring a secure and completely watertight connection.

The above and other objects of invention are accomplished by the provision of a fastener having a flexible slotted receiver element attached to one member of the structure and a flexible tube or injector element attached to the other member thereof, and a slider which in operation inserts or removes the injector element into or out of the receiver element.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure i is a pian view, partly ln section. of a portion of the fastener showing the same in a partly closed condition; A

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure l and looking in the direction of the arrows;

the receiver element of the fastener, partly broken away to reveal the internal structure thereof Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the operating slider of the fastener, partly broken away to show the internal structure thereof Figure 5 is a sectional view showing the inter nal structure of a modified form of operating slider, and

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line B-I of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

As illustrated in the drawings the fastening device comprises the elongated receiver element l secured to the portion 2 of flexible fabric. adapted to receive the tubular injector element I secured to the portion 4 of flexible fabric to form a water-tight connection between said portions. The receiver element I is preferably of flexible material, such as rubber, and is of generally G-shape in cross section, having a slot l in its wall and an extended flange portion 8 opposite the slot 5. The extended flange portion 8 is adapted to be secured by sewing, cementing or otherwise, along the edge of the portion 2 of the flexible fabric. The injector element 3 is in the form of a cylindrical tube or solid strand of flexible material, preferably rubber or similar flexible material, and is secured in any suitable manner to the portion I of the flexible fabric. A ball-shaped closure l is inserted in the tubular injector element 3 at the end 8 thereof, as is particularly shown in Figure 1, to tightly close the same. The opposite end, not shown, of the tubular element 3 is likewise closed by a device similar to the closure 1, thus sealing the tubular element against the escape of air therein, so that an effective water-tight engagement is established between the interior surface i0 of the receiver element I and the outer surface II of the tubular injector element. when the same is inserted ir the receiver element l. While the ball-shaped closure 1 is the preferred device for use in closing the ends of the tubular element 3, the same may of course be replaced by any other means which will operate effectively to render the tubular element 3 air-tight and maintain its tubular shape when inserted in the receiver element l.

The receiver element I can be formed of any suitable material having the requisite mechanical qualities for the purpose, and as shown particularly in Figure 2 the same may be reinforced by C-shaped, metal inserts il, embedded in the wall of the receiver, the open portion of the C registering *with the slot 5 therein, thus increasing Figure 3 is a perspective view of a portion of 55 the mechanical strength and resiliency 0f th same witnout interfering with the flexibility- Il, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, so that when moved longitudinally along the receiver element i, the slider operates to expand the same and open the slot 5 therein to admit the tubular injector element I. The slider Il is open at the end opposite the rounded end I and has a lateral opening 2li and two parallel, spaced-apart, outwardly extending, triangular-shaped portions 22 and 23 which project through the slot 5 and claspingly engage the tubular injector element 3. The slider Il has a loop 2l or equivalent means secured to a portion thereof for pulling the same along the receiver element i to operate the fastener.

As shown in Figure 4, the operating slider I4 is preferably formed of sheet metal and is of hollow construction throughout. The cylindrical body portion l5 of the operating slider may have the opening therein formed by cutting a tongue-shaped portion 26 in the wall thereof, and depressing the same to partially close ofi' the hollow head of the slider and form a curved surface for engaging and guiding the injector element 3 in and out of the receiver element i.

The modified form of slider I4' shown in Figure 5, is of similar construction to that of Figure 4 just described, but is provided with a solid head I8' instead of a hollow one. This modified slider has a curved portion 2li' formed in the solid head portion at the opening 20', said curved portion corresponding to the curved surface of the tongue 26 in the structure illustrated by Figure 4, and is also provided with the triangular-shaped portions 23', and the cylindrical portion l5'.

In operation, assuming that the two elements I and 3 of the fastener are separated, the slider Il is located in its extreme end position on the tubular element 3 adjacent the ball-shaped closure 1. The rounded end iB of the slider I l is forced into the extreme end 21 of the receiver element l expanding the same, opening the p0rtion of the slot 5 at the end 21 and thereby in serting the end portion of the tubular injector member 3 into the receiver element i and bringing the ball-shaped sealing member 1 into engagement with the end 21. Thereafter the slider I4 is moved along longitudinally of the receiver element l expanding the same, opening the porloop 2l. As the slider Il progresses along the receiver element i, the tubular injector element I is progressively compressed and fed into the receiver element l. When the slider Il has passed any portion of the receiver element i. the tubular element 3 is found to be inside the same and tightly in contact with the inside surface I Ii thereof. By reason of the fact that the outside diameter of the tubular injector element I is larger than the inside diameter of the receiver element l, and the wall of the latter is of resilient character, there is a sealing contact between the inside surface l0 and the outside of the tubular injector element 3 providing a water-tight seal.

To open the fastener, the slider il is pulled lil in the reverse direction to that which has just been indicated, the slot l being progressively opened and the tubular injector element l being progressively ejected through the opening 20. After the slider il has been returned to a position in which it again engages the ball-shaped member 1, a further pull on the loop 24 toward the end 21 removes the slider il from the receiver element I bringing with it the end of the tubular element 3.

It will be noted that where great mechanical resistance to lateral pulling strains is not required, the resiliency of the receiver element i will render the structure sufficiently strong if the receiver element l is formed of rubber or similar exible material.

It will be apparent that the above-described invention provides a exible fastening device of simple design, rugged construction and watertight character, which can be made as mechanically strong as is necessary for any use to which it is applied.

This application is a division of my application, Serial No. 601,906, filed June 27, 1945, now matured into Patent Number 2,460,853, issued February 3, i949, for Fastening and means operatng the same.

Having thus clearly shown and described the invention, what is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An operating means for a fastening comprising an elongated, hollow element of resilient material having a longitudinal slit and a tubular element progressively insertable therein through said slit and having an external diameter slightly greater than the internal diameter of the elongated hollow element, said operating means comprising a tubular-shaped body having a rounded end and an external diameter slightly greater than the internal diameter of the elongated hollow element, said tubular-shaped body having an internal diameter slightly less than the external diameter of the tubular element.

2. An operating means for a fastening comprising an elongated, hollow element having 4a longitudinal slit and a tubular element progressively insertable therein through said slit, said operating means comprising a substantially tubular-shaped body having a rounded end and adapted to slide in said elongated hollow element, said tubular-shaped body having a hollow portion and an open end and side communicating therewith to provide a passageway of slightly less diameter than the external diameter of the insertable tubular element.

3. An operating means for a fastening of the type comprising an elongated, hollow element having a longitudinal slit and a tubular element insertable therein through said slit, said operating means comprising a tubular-shaped body having a rounded end, a pair of spaced-apart, parallel, lateral extensions upon said body adapted to project from said slit, and a lateral opening adjacent said extensions through which said tubular element is adapted to pass, said operating means being adapted to move along the inside of said hollow element, whereby said tubular element is progressively compressed between said extensions and inserted or removed from said hollow element.

4. An operating means for a fastening comprising an elongated hollow element having a longitudinal slit and a substantially tubular element progressively insertable therein through said slit, said operating means comprising a 5 tubular-shaped body having a rounded forward end and an external diameter slightly greater thanthe internal diameter of the elongated hollow element, the rear portion of said tubularshaped body being hollow and open at the rear end and provided with a lateral opening, and a. eurved guide wall extendlng from the forward edge of the lateral opening to the opposite side of the hollow portion to direct the tubular element into the hollow portion and thence into the elongated hollow element.

PAUL A. SIPLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Germany 194C 

